EPRA launches UK and Nordics drive

The European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA) has launched a drive to promote the qualities of listed real estate companies to institutional investors and investment managers in the UK and Nordic markets.

Matt Fletcher has been appointed to lead the drive as investment outreach director in London, it emerged at EPRA's annual conference in Paris.

Fletcher is a qualified accountant and was most recently head of investor relations at PointPark Properties where he was involved in the process for gaining a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange.

He previously worked in business development and investor relations across alternative strategies including private equity, real estate and credit.

Philip Charls, EPRA CEO, said the appointment comes at a very opportune time for the European listed real estate industry. 'Institutional investors are increasingly looking at the diversification and liquidity benefits of blending listed real estate, non-listed property funds and direct property within their portfolios. We’ve already seen the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund in Norway building its investments in real estate and now NEST, the new upcoming giant pension fund in the UK, has recently announced it intends to target a 20% allocation to property in its portfolio.'

The UK’s National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) said it expects its total assets under management (AUM) to rise to between £100 bn to £150 bn by the 2030s, and that about 20% of total AUM would be initially be targeted at real estate investment, split roughly one-third to property stocks and two-thirds to direct real estate.

Speaking in a video interview at the EPRA conference, NEST CIO Mark Fawcett said: 'Listed real estate gives us liquidity, more global exposure and better diversification across different property sectors. Listed real estate has a very key role in our portfolio.'